Oct. 31, 2013
- Read the October issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- 2013 Iowa Soccer Media Guide
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
THE MATCH-UP
The University of Iowa soccer team hosts Big Ten opponent Purdue in its regular season finale on Saturday afternoon at the Iowa Soccer Complex, with the match slated to begin at 1 p.m. (CT).
PROMOTIONS
Saturday is fan appreciation day at the Iowa Soccer Complex. Prizes being raffled off include a $50 Herky’s Locker Room gift card, a soccer ball autographed by the Iowa soccer team, and various other prizes.
SCOUTING PURDUE
The Boilermakers come to Iowa City with an 8-9-1 overall and 3-7-0 Big Ten record. Purdue’s three conference wins have come in matches against Ohio State, Illinois, and Northwestern. All matches were decided by a score of 1-0. Freshman Maddy Williams leads the Boilermakers in scoring with 10 goals on the season. Williams has attempted a team-high 73 shots, and leads the team in game-winning goals with three. Senior Hadley Stuart is second on the squad with six goals, and leads the team with 10 assists. Two goalkeepers have seen significant playing team for Purdue. Senior Clara Kridler has started 14 games in goal, while freshman Jordan Ginther has started in four contests and appeared in nine games. Kridler has started the last 10 games, and has allowed 30 goals on the season. Robert Klatte is in his 16th year at the helm for the Boilermakers.
PURDUE VS. IOWA — THE SERIES
Purdue leads the all-time series between the two schools, 6-5-3. Iowa won last year’s match in Iowa City, 3-2. Alex Melin and Katie Nasenbenny scored goals in the first half of the match for the Hawkeyes, who were ranked No. 25 at the time. The Boilermakers last defeated Iowa in 2009.
LAST GAME
Iowa fell to Ohio State, 3-1, on Oct. 27. The Buckeyes scored two goals just 8:22 into the match, putting Iowa in an early two-goal deficit, the largest it has faced so far this season. Junior Melanie Pickert scored her fifth goal of the season in the second half via a penalty kick.
WIN AND IN
Iowa’s regular season finale versus Purdue holds major significance for the Hawkeyes. With a victory, Iowa would clinch a berth in the Big Ten Conference Tournament for the third consecutive season.
DOWN GOES PENN STATE
Iowa defeated No. 16 Penn State for the first time in school history on Oct. 25 by a score of 3-2 — the first win in 18 tries. Junior Cloe Lacasse scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute, securing the Hawkeye’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2008.
NASENBENNY NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Junior Katie Nasenbenny has been named to the 2013-14 Capital One Academic All-District team. The announcement was made on Oct. 31 by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Nasenbenny, a midfielder from LaGrange, Ill., is now eligible to earn Academic All-America honors following the conclusion of the season. Nasenbenny has started all 18 matches this season for the Hawkeyes, scoring three goals and collecting one assist. She has scored 12 career goals and started 39 consecutive games dating back to the beginning of the 2012 season.
2ND MOST WINS IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Iowa has reached double digits in victories in each of the past three seasons, the first time the program has accomplished the feat in school history. The Hawkeyes’ 12 wins are tied for the second-most in a single season in school history. Iowa won a school-record 13 games in the 1999 and 2011 seasons and 12 in 2012.
CAREER HIGHS FOR PICKERT
Junior Melanie Pickert has set career highs in goals (5) and points (14) this season, while attempting a career high 46 shots. The Canton, Mich., native has scored two game-winning goals this season, the first two of her career. Pickert has also been a key component of an Iowa defense that ranks third in the Big Ten with seven shutouts.
QUICK STARTS
Iowa has scored the game’s first goal in 13-of-18 matches this season. The Hawkeyes are undefeated (12-0-1) when notching the game’ s first goal and 7-1-0 when netting the first goal in the first half.
CATRELL THRIVING
Senior Ashley Catrell is making the most of her final season as a Hawkeye, leading Iowa in multiple categories. The Overland Park, Kan., native leads Iowa with 67 shots, and is tied with junior Melanie Pickert for a team-high in goals with five. Her two game-winning goals are tied for the team lead, and she holds the second-highest assist total (5).
IOWA TIED FOR 7TH IN GREAT LAKES REGION
The Hawkeyes are tied for seventh in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Great Lakes Region rankings that were released Oct. 29. Big Ten teams take up eight of the 10 spots in the poll; Michigan (1), Nebraska (2), Penn State (4), Indiana (5), Ohio State (6), Wisconsin (8), and Minnesota (9).
CLARK IN B1G
Sophomore Hannah Clark ranks among the top-five in the Big Ten in three different statistical categories. The Colorado native’s seven shutouts and 0.39 shutouts per game are third-best among the league’s 12 goalkeepers, and her 1.09 goals against average ranks sixth.
LACASSE’S GAME-WINNERS
Junior Cloe Lacasse’s game-winning goal versus Penn State on Oct. 25 moved her career game-winning goal total to nine, the second-most of any Iowa soccer player in their career. Sarah Lynch holds the school record with 20 career game-winning goals.
NONCONFERENCE DOMINANCE
The Hawkeyes have been dominant in non-league competition dating back to the 2011 season. The Hawkeyes have compiled a 25-0 nonconference record during the stretch. Iowa’s last nonconference loss came during the 2010 season against Nebraska, a year before it joined the Big Ten. Since the 2011 season, the Hawkeyes have out scored their nonconference opponents, 81-12.
BALANCED SCORING
Eight different Iowa players have scored at least one goal thus far in 2013. Senior Ashley Catrell and junior Melanie Pickert lead the team with five, while senior Alex Melin and juniors Cloe Lacasse and Anne Marie Thomas have four apiece. Lacasse has a team-best seven assists, which ties her for sixth-best in the Big Ten.
OUTSHOOTING, OUT SCORING
In 18 games, Iowa has out shot its opponents, 304-184. The Hawkeyes have limited the opposition to 78 shots on goal and a .109 shot percentage. Offensively, Iowa has a 30-20 advantage in goals.
BREAKING RECORDS, BEATING RIVALS
The Hawkeyes continued their dominance over Iowa State on Sept. 6, beating the Cyclones 3-0 in front of a record crowd of 1,594 at the Iowa Soccer Complex. The crowd bested the previous high mark of 975 fans set in the 2011 season. The win was the sixth-straight for Iowa in the series. In those six games, Iowa has out scored the Cyclones 19-4.
CLARK EARNS B1G HONOR
Sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Clark was selected as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 3 after posting consecutive shutouts and leading the Hawkeyes to the team title at the Pacific Soccer Classic. The Fort Collins, Colo., native made six saves on the weekend and had a 0.00 goals against average and a 1.000 saves percentage. The honor is the second of Clark’s career.
LACASSE HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
In two-plus years, junior Cloe Lacasse has made her mark on the Iowa soccer program. The Sudbury, Ontario, native is currently second in career goals (29) and game-winning goals (9), and third in points (78) and shots (212). Lacasse has led Iowa in goals scored, points, and shots taken in both the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Lacasse was named Iowa’s MVP in 2012, scoring goals in each of the team’s first nine matches. She was named to the Madness’ 2012 All-Big Ten first-team by CollegeSportsMadness.com, and was an All-Great Lakes Region second team honoree by the NSCAA.
HAWKEYES TAKE TOURNEY TITLE
After defeating UC Davis on Aug. 30 and Pacific on Sept. 1, the Hawkeyes captured the Pacific Soccer Classic team title. Senior Alex Melin, juniors Melanie Pickert, Caitlin Brown, Cloe Lacasse, and sophomore Hannah Clark were named to the all-tournament team.
ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH
In his eighth season as Iowa head coach, Ron Rainey is the winningest coach in school history. He has compiled a 77-65-18 record, which includes 37 victories the past two plus seasons. The stretch is the best in program history, including a 13-win season in 2011.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior Alex Melin and junior Caitlin Brown have been voted team captains for the 2013 Iowa soccer team.
B1G IN THE POLLS
In the most recent NSCAA Coaches Poll, three Big Ten teams are ranked in the Top 25. Michigan (14-2-1) advanced two spots to No. 8, Nebraska (14-3-1) jumped three spots to No. 18, and Penn State (12-5-1) dropped six spots to No. 22. Wisconsin and Indiana received votes.
IRON WOMEN
Juniors Caitlin Brown and Emily Scott are the only two position players to play every minute for the Hawkeyes in 2013, logging 1,635 minutes apiece. Goalkeeper Hannah Clark, who has also played every minute of the season, has thrived with Brown and Scott leading a defense that allows only 10.2 shots per game.